Strainer box for locomotives



July28, 1925.

n M. PRICE STRAINER BOX FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed sept. 21, 1923 Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES v1,547,955 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. PRICE, OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

STRAINER BOX FOR LOCO'MOTIVE'S.

To all whom t may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake andState of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in yStrainer Boxes for Locomotives, of which the following is a full, clear, land exact description.

In takingV water into the locomotive tenderor tank from the usual penstock or tank found along railroads, itfrequently happens that leaves and other rubbish find their way into the locomotive tender. It is therefore usual to provide each locomotive wlth a strainer box which is r`placed inthe feed water line so as to prevent this foreign matter from reaching theboiler.l These strainers oftenbecome clogged and prevent the injectors from Yproperly feeding the water to theboilers. Under such circumstances it is necessary to 'stop theengine, remove the cover of the strainer box and manually remove the collected rubbish therefrom.- And again, it sometimes happens that the hose leadingfrom the locomotive tank to the strainer box will become clogged, so as to prevent the free passage of water to the boiler, thereby-necessltatlng a removal of the hose so as to clear the same. f j i It is an object of the rpresent invention to overcome theforegoing diliculties by providing simple and inexpensive means by which the engineer may clear leaves and other rubbish from the strainer, strainerbox or hose without leaving his seat or stoppingthe engine. n

A furtherobject of -theinvent1on resides in the provisionv of means to prevent steam and hot water being driven back into the locomotive tank should there be a leaky check valve in the boiler.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the strainer box and related parts. Y

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 but taken at an angle of 90 thereto.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the apparatus, and,

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the numeral 1 refers to a strainer box provided with the strainer 2-of wire mesh or the like, and a removable cover v3. This box is providedwith a pair of couplings kor lconduits 4 and 5, one being formed on each side thereof. `The coupling 4 is adapted to receive one end of the hose leading to the locomotive tank or tender while the coupling 5 is attached to the pipe leading to the boiler injectors. Inasmuch as the boiler injectors and water tank per se form no part of the present invention it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate them on the drawings.

integrally formed in the strainer box l is a slide valve passage 6 which terminates in a valve seat 7 in alignment with the-coupling 4. Located in the passageway 6 and adapts ed for sliding movement'therein is a sub-k i stantially circular valve 8. This valve may assume anyone 'of three positions, namely, j

that shown in full and dotted lines in Figure 3,01- it may be lowered to its seat 7. When seated the valve 8 will, of course, close the passage through the coupling 4; in the first-mentioned positions ofthe valve 8 however this passage will remain open.

y The strainer box 1 is also provided with an exitpassage 9 in vertical alignment with the valve 8 and located at the bottom of the box. A valve 10 cooperates withthe passageway 9 and is provided with a stem 11 which is surrounded by a .coil spring 12, the stem being slidably mounted in a crosshead 13 against which one end of the spring 12 engages. Arms 144-14 extend laterally from the crosshead 13 and'have the up- 'wardly extending rods 15 secured to the outer ends thereof. These rods are secured -attheir upper end'sto Vthe laterally extending arms 16 of the valve stem 17 of the valve 8. kBy thus connecting the two valves 10 and 8 it will be seen that they are caused to move in unison.

A rod 18 .is pivotally connected to the valve stem 17 as indicated at 19. This rod extends through a fixed portion 20 of the locomotive and has its handle 21 preferably located adjacent the engineers seat. A plurality of notches 22 are formed in one edge of the rod 18 and provide shoulders adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed plunger 23 mounted in the casing 24 attached to the fixed portion of the locomotive.

In the operation of the device, if it is desired to clean out the tank hose or the lower portion of the strainer' box, the latch 23 is Withdrawn and the rod 17 lowered until the valve 8 assumes its middle position as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. This movement of valve 8 Will,v through. the me' dium of the connecting rods 15, open the valve 10 and permit Water to exape trom. lthe engine tender through the hose and strainer box to the atmosphere.. The escap ing Water Will of course carry with it any leaves or other rubbish collected in these parts. o the apparatus:y Should it be de` sired toy thoroughly clear the screen: oi strainer 2, the valve 8 is lowered toits seat 7 thereby sealing the passage through the s coupling 4 and openingy still tartheil the valve 10. Steam. is now caused to pass from the boiler through the coupling 5 and screen 2 to the atmosphere.

Should one of the boiler check valves start leaking and thereby permit steam and hot Water to escape thro-ugh the strainer box to thel locomotive tender it isA only necessary' to lower the valve 8- to its seat thereby cutting oli the backwardy passage oi' the steam and permitting the same to escape to the atmosphere.

From. the foregoing-l description it will be seen; thatl I- have provided an exceedingly simple constructionwhereby the strainer, strainer box, and coupling hose may readily he freed from leaves and other rubbish without stopping the engine and Without necessitatingthe engineer to. Withdraw his attention from the OperationofY the train.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I now believe to be the best embodiment of the inventionbut I do not Wish to be understood thereby asl limit ing myself or the scope of the invention, as many changes and modiiications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention; all such I aim to` include in the scope ot the appended claims.`

What I claim as new and; desire toi:l secure byv LettersPatent is :y

l.` In a device of the class described, a strainer box having three passages therein leading to thel atmosphere, the Water tank and the boiler, said two last-named passages being 1n substantial alignment, a flat strainer extending across the interior of said box and crossing the axis of said aligned strainer extending across the interior of saidl box and crossing the axis of said aligned passages, a valve in earch of the passages to the tank and to the atmosphere, said valves being; constructed and arranged to permit water to flow from` the. Water tank to the atmosphere in one-position of the valves and to permit steam to flow from the boiler to the atmosphere in another position of the valves, the latter position. of the valves preventing steam from flow-ing to the Water tank. Y

3. In aV device of thev class described, Va strainer box, a strainer therein couplingson said box for the tank hose' and igor the iteed pipe to the injectors,` said box being provided with. an exit passage-V in the bottom thereof, a1 spring-pressed valve for said. exit passage, a slidevalgve adjacent said tank coupling and in alignment Withsaid; springpiiessed valve, and apair.' of rods rigidly connecting said? valves.

41.. In a. device ot the classdeseribed, a strainer box, a strainer thereinycouplings on said box for the tank hose and for the. feed pipe` tothe injectors, Vsa-id box being provided Witlian exit.y passage at theV bottom thereof, a spring-pressed valve for said exit passage-,- a slidev valve adjacent said tank couplingA and alignmentvvith' said springpressed. valve, means rigidly connecting said valves, and a latch for holding said` valves in adjusted positions.

- T. M1. PRICE.. 

